Petunia plant named ‘Lavender Skies’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Lavender Skies’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, mounding and cascading plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; large single flowers that are purple violet in color; flowers that are not persistent; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAVENDER SKIES’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lavender Skies’.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination in 2005 in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada of two unnamed selections of Petunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada in October, 2006. Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada since October, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lavender Skies’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lavender Skies’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading, mounding and cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large single flowers that are purple violet in color.     -   5. Flowers that are not persistent.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant form as plants of the new Petunia are more uniform and more cascading than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘Keilavbu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,542. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Keilavbu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Keilavbu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Keilavbu’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Keilavbu’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Keilavbu’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Keilavbu’ had sky blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of ‘Kakegawa S28’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,887. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Kakegawa S28’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more cascading than plants of         ‘Kakegawa S28’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flowered later than plants of         ‘Kakegawa S28’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more tolerant to low         temperatures than plants of ‘Kakegawa S28’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Kakegawa S28’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Kakegawa S28’ had dark purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Lavender Skies’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Lavender Skies’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers in Bonsall, Calif., under commercial practice during the winter and spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 27° C., night temperatures ranging from 9° C. to 13° C. and light levels ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Lavender Skies’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of             Petunia×hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 10 days at             21° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About 17 days at             21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white, close             to 155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; outwardly             spreading, mounding and cascading plant habit; vigorous             growth habit; freely branching habit with about seven to             eight primary lateral branches and numerous secondary and             tertiary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             enhances development of lateral branches.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 62 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 37 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 4 cm. Texture: Pubescent;             viscid. Color: Close to 146B to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after             flowers develop; simple.         -   Length.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to             146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single axillary salverform flowers;             flowers face upward or outward; freely flowering habit,             about 11 to 13 flower buds and open flowers per lateral             branch.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, early spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period; plants begin             flowering about six weeks after planting rooted cuttings.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to six days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5.2 cm. Depth (height): About             5 cm. Tube length: About 3.5 cm. Throat diameter, distal             end: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Elongated tubular. Color: Close to 92C.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a             single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About 2.5 cm.             Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped. Apex:             Broadly acute with a central shallow point. Margin: Entire.             Texture, petal lobe upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Texture, petal lobe lower surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to N82B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 91B to 91C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close N81B; venation, close to 188C; color             becoming closer to N81C with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to N81D; venation, close to 194B.             Flower throat (inside): Close to 145C to 145D; venation,             close to 145A. Flower tube (outside): Close to 145C;             venation, close to 145B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.9 cm.             Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: Close to146A. Color, lower surface: Close             to146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Angle:             About 45° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to N144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color:             Close to 155A. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style             length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma             shape: Rounded to anvil-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 145A.             Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been             observed. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and have been noted to tolerate     temperatures from about 1° C. to about 38° C. and have excellent     tolerance to rain and wind. 

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Lavender Skies’ as illustrated and described. 